Bathing suit



Nov. 16, 1965 D. KUNEL 3,217,713

BATHING SUIT Filed April 30, 1964 FIG.|

FIG.4

FIG.3

United States Patent 3,217,713 BATHING SUIT Delmar Kunel, 6 Pheasant Lane, Westport, Conn. Filed Apr. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 363,799 4 Claims. (Cl. 128454) This invention generally relates to bathing suits which are particularly designed for large women or heavy women.

For the most part, the dimension of the womens bathing suits that are available in the stores today are proportioned for women of average build. Stated in another way, most womens suits are constructed on the basis of average heighth-to-weight (or width) ratios. Because the patterns for bathing suits are based on average ratios, it means that women who have proportions falling outside these average ratios will not obtain a properly proportioned fit when they purchase a bathing suit from a store. This problem is particularly acute insofar as big or heavy women having ample bosorns are concerned. Nearly any large woman will complain that the panty section is either too long or too short, and more often than not the brassiere section will not fit right.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved type of bathing suit construction which results in a bathing suit that is particularly suited for women of large build and/ or ample bosorns.

These and other objects and advantages will be more apparent after reading the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings.

FIGURES 1 and 2 are front and rear views respectively of the foundation of a bathing suit in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a front view illustrating another embodiment of a bathing suit in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the tuck construction shown in FIGURES l and 2.

Considered from one aspect the present invention com prises in combination:

(a) a waist length brassiere section which consists of two breast cups and a midriff section located above the waist line,

(b) the grain of the material in the breasts cups being cut on a semi-bias grain,

(c) the material of the breast cups being shaped so that it molds and supports the bust,

(d) the darts being arranged so that they contribute to the fit,

(e) a rounded strip of material attached to the upper portion of the bathing suit,

(f) said rounded strip including two sections that pass over the shoulders and an intermediate rounded section that is attached to the upper perimeter of the breast cups,

(g) said rounded strip serving to insure both support and good fit.

FIGURE 1 shows a front view of one embodiment of a bathing suit in accordance with this invention. It is seen to be divided by a waist line 9 into an upper section and lower section. The upper section actually consists of two layers of material, an outer layer and an inner or under layer. The outer layer being primarily decorative and attractive in appearance as shown in FIGURE 3, the inner or under layer being primarily functional and useful and not particularly decorative or attractive (as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2).

The present invention is more concerned with the inner or under part of the bathing suit (as opposed to the outer decorative layer) since it is the inner layer of a bathing suit that primarily determines the support and fit that will be achieved.

The upper section of the bathing suit, which is a waist length brassiere section consists of two breast cups 11 and 13 located immediately above the midriff section 15. It is essential that the midrilf section 15 continue completely around the suit as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. The grain of the material in the breast cups is cut on a semi-bias grain and the material of the breast cups is shaped so that it molds and supports the bust. The darts 17, 19, 21 and 23 are arranged so that they contribute to the fit around the bust area.

A most important feature of my invention is the rounded strip of material R (preferably between about one, and one and a half inches wide) that is attached to the upper portion of the bathing suit. This rounded strip R actually comprises two upwardly and outwardly 'extending side sections 25 and 27 that pass over the shoulders and an intermediate rounded section 29 that is attached to the upper perimeter of the breast cups 11 and 13. The rounded strip R insures both support and a good fit. It will be seen that strip R more closely resembles a semi-circle than anything else, or perhaps one end of an elipse.

Preferably the lowermost intermediate portion 29 of said rounded strip R is gathered together by a string or bow B or the like. Gathering at this point assists insofar as both support and contouring are concerned. This variation is shown in FIGURE 3 and provides better shaping around the bust line.

The rounded strip R is made wide enough so that it easily provides a full support for the upper portion of the brassiere section. The rounded strip R is also wide enough so that it will not cut into the shoulders of the wearer.

The rounded strip R provides uniform support for the bust line by distributing loads and stresses across the entire top of the brassiere. This is in contrast with prior bathing suits wherein the shoulder straps only give support at two spaced apart and rather localized areas.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate another important feature of my invention which is quite convenient and useful. This feature consists of a tuck or drop seam 31 located circumferentially adjacent the hip area (at approximately the point of maximum hip dimension). As shown in the enlarged fragmentary view of FIGURE 4, the tuck or drop seam 31 may be formed by a single row of threads 33. If the wearer finds when she puts on the suit that the crotch area is so tight as to be uncomfortable, all that she needs to do is to remove the seam 33 and an additional increment 39 of suit will be available to avoid the tightness in the crotch area. The increment 39 should be at least 1 inch and can be as much as three inches. If only a portion of this increment is needed to lengthen the crotch, the unused portion can of course be resewn into a tuck that is smaller than that which originally existed. The placement of the tuck or drop seam 31 at approximately the line of maximum hip dimension has the advantage that when the seam is dropped, the general shape and contour of the lower section is maintained to the maximum extent.

Referring again to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be noted noted that the lower section (i.e. that section below the waist line 9) is of the panty type. When a tuck or drop seam 31 is included in such a panty, it may be quite noticeable when the bathing suit is made of plain material. It is therefore contemplated that the bathing suit include a skirt portion 40 (such as is shown in FIGURE 3) to fit over the panty-type lower section containing the tuck 31.

The cut and shape of the brassiere eliminates the use of padding, wires and stays, which are now universally used in bathing suits. The use of these items make a bathing suit very uncomfortable for a larger bosomed woman, because wires and stays will press upon and gouge the bosoms, often causing irritations.

While certain preferred embodiments of my invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A bathing suit comprising in combination an upper and lower portion (a) a waist length brassiere section which consists of two breast cups and a midriff section located above the waist line,

(b) the grain of the material in the breast cups being cut on a semi-bias grain,

(c) the material of the breast cups being shaped by darts so that said cups mold and support the bust,

(d) the darts being arranged so that they contribute to the fit of the brassiere,

(e) a rounded generally semicircular strip of material attached to the front upper portion of the bathing suit,

(f) said rounded strip including two upwardly and outwardly extending sections adapted to pass over the shoulders of the wearer and adapted to be secured at their ends to a back section and an intermediate section of said strip attached to the inner and upper perimeter of the breast cups,

(g) said rounded strip serving to insure both support and good fit.

2. A bathing suit according to claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the bathing suit is provided with a drop seam located adjacent the circumferential line of maximum hip dimension.

3. A bathing suit according to, claim 1 wherein the rounded strip is gathered at a point approximately in the middle of said intermediate rounded section.

4. A bathing suit according to claim 3 wherein said gathering is accomplished by means of a bow.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,016,516 10/1935 Robbins 1285l0 2,115,443 4/1938 Flesh l28454 2,533,060 12/1950 Silvain 1285l0 X 2,628,357 2/1953 Sider 128512 X ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BATHING SUIT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN UPPER AND LOWER PORTION (A) A WAIST LENGTH BRASSIERE SECTION WHICH CONSISTS OF TWO BREAST CUPS AND A MIDRIFF SECTION LOCATED ABOVE THE WAIST LINE, (B) THE GRAIN OF THE MATERIAL IN THE BREAST CUPS BEING CUT ON A SEMI-BIAS GRAIN, (C) THE MATERIAL OF THE BREAST CUPS BEING SHAPED BY DARTS SO THAT SAID CUPS MOLD AND SUPPORT THE BUST, (D) THE DARTS BEING ARRANGED SO THAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE FIT OF THE BRASSIERE, (E) A ROUNDED GENERALLY SEMICIRCULAR STRIP OF MATERIAL ATTACHED TO THE FRONT UPPER PORTION OF THE BATHING SUIT, (F) SAID ROUNDED STRIP INCLUDING TWO UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING SECTIONS ADAPTED TO PASS OVER THE SHOULDERS OF THE WEARER AND ADAPTED TO BE SECURED AT THEIR ENDS TO A BACK SECTION AND AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION OF SAID STRIP ATTACHED TO THE INNER AND UPPER PERIMETER OF THE BREAST CUPS, (G) SAID ROUNDED STRIP SERVING TO INSURE BOTH SUPPORT AND GOOD FIT. 